Kante to be Jose’s new Makelele?

MANCHESTER UNITED have joined the ever-increasing list of clubs chasing Leicester star N’Golo Kante, according to the Daily Star.

The paper claims the Old Trafford giants are set to trigger the midfielder’s £22million release clause in a bid to beat Premier League rivals Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and French champions Paris St Germain to land the 25-year-old, who he wants to be his new Claude Makelele.

Makelele was one of the key men when Mourinho first won the title with Chelsea and has now even had the ‘Makelele role’ named after him.

While Kante’s Leicester team-mate and Arsenal target Jamie Vardy has hinted he may end up staying with the Foxes, it appears inevitable that Kante will leave after a brilliant first season in the English top flight.

The tough-tackling France international – who joined Leicester as a virtual unknown from French side Caen for just £5.6m last summer – proved a revelation.

He played in all but one of the Foxes’ league matches and was a key figure in their incredible title-winning campaign, impressing everyone with his remarkable stamina, ability to cover the entire pitch and his coolness under pressure.

Leicester are prepared to offer their star man a bumper new contract but, with some of the biggest clubs in Europe circling, they appear to be fighting a losing battle and it seems all that remains to be answered is which club Kante will choose.